Wire feeding apparatus



arch 2, 1943. c. A. NICHOLS ETAL 2,312,845

WIRE FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 50, 1941 13 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 2, 1943. c. A. NICHOLS EI'AL 2,312,345

WIRE FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 30, 1941 l3 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 2, 1943. c. A. NlCHOLS ET AL WIRE FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 50, 1941 15 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 30, 1941 13 Sheets-Sheet 5 Illl'llalllllL l l I I I l l Ill I I I I I I I l Ill.

- gv wd BY MM? 14/ fi ol/ATToRNEY/a/ March 2, 1943. c. A. NICHOLS ET AL WIRE FEED ING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 30, 1941 15 Sheets-Sheet 6 Q Q R March 2, 1943. c. A. NICHOLS ET AL WIRE FEEDING APPARATUS 13 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed Jan. 30, 1941 March 2', 1943- c. A. NICHOLS ETAL WIRE FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 30, 1941 13 Sheets-Sheet 9 QWN QM k n \Nm March 2, 19 3- c. A. NICHOLS ET AL WIRE FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Jan 30, 1941 13 Sheets-Sheet l0 INVENTOR/ d. M 25m w March 1943- c. A. NICHOLS ET AL WIRE FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 30, 1941 13 Sheets-Sheet 11 March 2, 1943. c. A. NICHOLS ET AL 2,312,345

r WIRE FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 30, 1941 15 Sheets-Sheet 12 wwN A 5A A \iiililfli aw RRlikl u a A? m \\\\\l [IIHH MN L m @N n Qw Qua fi N rar ty \MN 1 1 ll 1% Q mkw xhw March 2, 1943- c. A. NICHOLS ET AL WIRE FEEDING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 50, 1941 13 Sheets-Sheet l3 atenied Mar. 2, i943 2,312,845 I wmr. FEEDING APPARATUS Charles A. Nichols and Ernest R. Fausset, Andereon, Ind., assignors to General Motors Corpora- 'tion, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application January 30, 1941, Serial No. 376,876

15 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of single turn bar windings known as hairpins used in the manufacture of dynamoelectric machines,

more particularly in the manufacture of armatures for series electric motors used in starting combustion engines. In L.E. Pooles Patent No. 1,834,733, issued Dec. 1, 1931, there is disclosed a machine for making hairpins from fiat wire which is fed to the machine from a supply reel. One of the objects of the present invention is to secure greater uniformity in the lengths of the legs or branches of the hairpins. According to former practice, the hairpins were assembled with the armature core by hand; and it did not matter if the hairpin legs were not absolutely equal in length. In order that the hairpins may be assembled by a machine such as that disclosed in the copending application of Poole and Fausset, Serial No. 366,456, filed Nov. 20, 1940, it is necessary that the legs be of the same length.

It is therefore more particularly an object of the present invention to provide for feeding the wire uniformly and to provide for clamping the wire in fixed position after having been fed so that there will be absolutely no slippage of the wire with respect to the forming mechanism while the feeding mechanism is retracting. It is also an object of the present invention to prevent the buckling of the wire particularly between the device for clamping the wire and the device for severing the wire into a length suitable for forming of the hairpin.

Poole Patent No. 1,834,733 discloses the use of straightening rolls between which the wire passes before being gripped by the feeding mechanism. Straightening rolls are associated with the feeding mechanism of the present invention. It is a further object of the present invention to maintain the wire as straight as possible before it enters between the straightening rolls. To accomplish this object we provide means for feeding the wire to the straightening rolls from the supply reel at a speed which is maintained substantially uniform within close limits by a power driven feeding mechanism, the speed of which is controlled by a wire tensioning guide wheel around which the wire passes while moving from the feed rolls to the straightening rolls. In connection with this object it is a further object to provide automatic means for controlling the speed of the wire feeding device in accordance with position of the wire tensioning guide wheel within certain limits.

A further object of the invention is to provide for automatically stopping the hairpin forming press in case the slack of wire between the feed rolls adjacent the supply wheel and the straightening rolls of the forming press becomes less or greater than predetermined limits. In case of failure to unwind the wire from the supply reel, then the feeding of the wire from the supply reel by the feed rolls would not keep pace with the consumption of wire by the hairpin press. Then the slack will diminish below a certain limit and the machine will automatically stop. In case of failure of the press feeding mechanism to keep pace with the wire feeding mechanism adjacent the supply reel, the slack between the feed rolls and the stretching rolls of the punch will exceed a certain limit and the machine will automatically stop. In case 0! buckling of the wire between the straightening rolls and the feeding mechanism of the forming press the press will automatically stop.

The Poole and Fausset application No. 366,456

disclosesa machine for assembling hairpins with an armature core. The hairpins formed by the press disclosed in this application are conveyed, as they are formed, to the magazine of the assembling machine. This hairpin magazine is associated with a delivery chute having a window thru which the rays of an incandescent lamp shine upon a photoelectric cell for the purpose of eflecting control of the hairpin forming press. When this chute is full of hairpins the passage of rays thru the window of the chute is blocked by the hairpin legs. Then the punch press stops producing any more hairpinsuntil a suiificient number have been consumed by the assembling machine to. cause the chute window to be unblocked. Obviously the photoelectric cell is operative to cause the machine to start if the rays of a lamp shine upon it; and the machine will stop if the lamp is turned off. In the system of control of the present invention we provide for manually turning on and off the lamp which affacts the photoelectric cell and for automatically turning oil the lamp when the slak of the wire between the feed rolls associated with the supply reel and the straightening rolls associated with the hairpin forming press falls below a certain low tolerable limit or exceeds a certain high tolerable limit. The lamp is also automatically turned off when there is buckling of the wire adjacent the feeding mechanism of the formin press.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings: r

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the hairpin forming press equipped with the wire feeding mechanism embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the wire feeding mechanism associated with the supply reel shown at the right in Fig. 1, and the controls, including a switch governed by the wire tensioning guide wheel shown at the right in Fig. 2.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the hairpin forming press.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fi 3.

Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the wire feeding mechanism of the forming press, certain parts being shown in section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view on the line 6-5 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is an end elevation located in the direction of the arrow 1 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-4 of Pi 3.

I 'ig. 9 is a diagrammatic view including plan views of certain parts of the feeding mechanism of the forming press. Fig. 9 shows parts in position corresponding to those shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing certain parts in a slightly different position after movement of the wire feed operating'member toward the left has begun.

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Figs. 9 and 10, showing the location of various parts of the wire feeding and wire clamping mechanisms after the feed operating member has moved to its left-hand po-' sition.

Fig. 12 is an end elevation of the wire severing mechanism and mounting therefor; and is a view looking in the direction of the arrow l2 of Fig. 1. The head of arrow 2 points to the upper portion of the mounting for the wire severing mechanism which appears in Fig. 12.

Fig. 13 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow i3 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow M of Fig. 13.

Figs. 15 and 16 are diagrammatic views showing the relation' of the wire cutting punches to the wire clamping mechanism in the different positions of the former.

Figs. 17. 18 and 19 are top, end and side views respectively of one of the wire severing punches.

Fig. 19a shows the pointed and bevelled portions of the severed wire. Figs. 20 and 21 taken together constitute a side elevation of the mechanism for feeding and guiding wire from the supply reel to the straightening reels of the forming press and for maintaining a certain tension on the wire.

Fig. 22 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 22 in Fig. 21.

Fig. 23 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 23 in Fig. 21.

Fig. 24 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of th wire feeding mechanism associated with the wire supply reel of Fig. 20. The sectional part at the left hand of Fig. 24 is taken approximately on the line 24-24 of Fig. 20. The sectional part of Fig. 24 at the right hand thereof is: ta5en approximately on the line 24a24a of Fig. 25 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 25-25 of Fig. 24.

Fig. 26 is a diagram of the controls of a hairpin forming press and of the Wire feeding mechanism associated with the supply reel.

Wire feeding mechanism of the hairpin. forming press Referring to Fig. 1, the press frame 20 supports a crankshaft 2| upon which is mounted a power driven flywheel 22 connected with the crankshaft 2| thru a clutch 23. The crank cooperates with connecting rod 24 for operating one of the movable dies of the hairpin forming press. The crankshaft 2| cooperates with a rod 25 and a lever.

nism comprises an arm 30 operated by shaft 2| and connected by a rod 3|, a clevis 32 and a pin 33 (also Fig. 5) with a rack 34 supported by bar 35 slidable in ways provided by a frame 36 and plates 31 and 38. Rack 34 meshes with a pinion 39 fixed to a shaft 40 which is journalled in tapered roller bearings 4| and 42 supported by a housing 43 integral with the frame 36. The frame 36 (Figs. 5 and '7) is attached to a plate 44 which extends from the press frame 20 toward the right in Fig. 1 and which is supported at its right end by bracket 45 resting upon a channel bar 43 attached at its left end to one of the leg frames 41 of the press, thus providing a rigid structure for supporting the wire feeding mechanism and also for supporting a frame 48 carrying a horizontal group of straightenin rolls 49 and a vertical group of straightening rolls 50 between which the wire W passes before being engaged by the wire feeding device. As the bracket 36 overhangs the plate 44 a substantial distance toward the right in Fig. 7 it is braced by a bracket 5| having a pad 52 for supporting a. pad 53 of the frame 36 and having a pad 5 attached to the plate 44.

The rack 39, Figs. 5 and 6, meshes with a rack 6|] fioatingly supported by brackets 60a attached to a feed slide 6| having a dovetailed groove 62 for engaging a similarly shaped guide plate 63 provided by the plate 44. The back side of the rack 64 is provided with a notch 64 for receiving an arm 65 attached by pin 66 to a rod 61. An extension 65a of arm 65 is apertured to receive a rod 68. An extension 65b of arm 65 receives a screw stud 69 locked by a nut '10. Stud 69 cooperates with a cam plate I05 to be described. The rod 61 extends thru flanged bushings 1| and 12, Fig. 5, said bushings being slidably supported by cars 13 and 14, respectively, of a bracket 15 attached to slide 6|, Fig. 6. Ends of the rod 61 receive nuts 11 and 13, respectively, which confine, under compression, springs 19 and 80, respectively, thereby urging the flanges of the bushings 1| and 12 against the ears 13 and 14, respectively, of the bracket 15. When the arm 65 stands in the position shown in Fig. 10, the flanges of the bushings 1| and 12 will actually engage the cars 13 and 14, respectively, of the bracket 15. This position of the arm 65 shown in Fig. 10 will be known hereafter as the mid-position or normal position. The amount of motion transmitted to the rack 30 is in excess of that required for feeding the wire W. The extent of movement of the slide BI is determined by the location of pairs of nuts BI and 82 threadedly adjustable on a rod 83 which is threadedly received at its left end by the bracket 54 and is locked by a nut 84, and which is threadedly received at its right end by a plate 85 (attached to plate 48) and locked there by a nut 85. In the space between the pair of nuts 3| and 82 an apertured lug 81 receiving rod 83 is free to move, its movement being limited by the dimensions of this space. The lug 81 is integral with a bracket 88 attached to the slide BI. When the rack 80 travels to the right a distance greater than that necessary to move the lug 81 against nuts 82, the arm 65 driven by the rack 80 will move into the position shown in Figs. 5 and 9 in which it becomes separated from the bushings II and forces the nut 11 toward the right further to compress the spring I9. This movement of the rack toward the right beyond movement of the slide 6| toward the right will be called hereinafter overtravel toward the right. When the rack 60 moves toward the left a distance greater than that required to move the lug 81 into engagement with the nuts 8|, the arm 65 moved by the rack 60 will move away from the bushing I2 as shown in Fig. 11, and'will move the nut I8 toward the left further to compress the spring 80. This movement of the rack 80 to move the arm 65 into the position shown invFig. 11 will' be known hereinafter as overtravel of the rack .toward the left.

The Overtravel of the rack toward the right as shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 9 is used to cause the wire W to be clamped to the slide SI. Referring to Fig. 4, the slide 8I is provided with a groove for receiving a hardened member 90 having a groove 9| for receiving a portion of the wire W. Part 90 is one of the wire clamping members. The other clamping member is a plate 92 also hardened and provided with a groove 93 for receiving a portion of the wire W. Springs 95 in sockets 95 of slide 6| tend to urge the clampingmember 92 away from the member 90. The member 92 is moved toward the member 90 by a toggle mechanism comprising a pressure block 98, a toggle link 91, a toggle pin 98, a toggle link 99 and a pressure block I00. These parts are confined between frames IN and I02 which are attached together by suitable screws and which are mounted upon the slide 6|. The relation of the toggle parts to the clamping plate 92 can be adjusted by turning a screw I03 bearing against the block I00. When the desired amount of clamping pressure is obtained when the toggles are straightened, the screw I03 is locked in adjusted position by a nut I04. The top frame I02, Fig. 4, provides a groove for receiving a cam plate I05. (In Figs. 9, 10 and 11, the frame I02 is omitted for sake of clearness) Cam plate I05 is provided with a camming slot I05 for receiving a cam roller I01 journalled on a stud I08 carried by an arm of the toggle link 99.

There is a lost motion connection between the plate I05 and the arm 65; and this connection is provided by the screw stud 69 which is received by an elongated slot H in the plate I05. When the rack overtravels the slide 8| toward the left, as shown in Fig. 11, the relative movement between the arm 65 and the slide 8| causes the plate I to move into the position shown in Fig. 11, thereby causing the toggle links 91 and 99 to be broken or disaligned, thereby permitting the springs 94 to move the clamping plate 92 from the clamping member 90, thereby unclamping or ungripping the wire W. When the rack 60 overtravels the slide BI toward the right as viewed in Fig. 9, the plate I05 is moved into the position shown in Fig. 9, due to relative movement of arm 85 toward the right with respect to bracket I5, thereby causing the toggle links 91 and 99 to be aligned to cause the wire W to be clamped between the plates 90 and 92. Thus. when the rack overtravels toward the left as viewed in Fig. 11, the wire is unclamped by the slide; and, when it overtravels toward the right as viewed in Fig. 9, the wire is clamped to the slide. -When the slide 6| is moving from the position shown in Fig. 9, toward the left into the position shown in Fig. 11, the toggle links 91 and 99 remainjn wire clamping status because,

during the return of the arm to normal of mid position shown in Fig. 10, no movement of the cam plate I05 takes place. The screw stud 89 merely moves from the right end of the slot I I0 to the left end thereby taking up lost motion between the arm 65 and the plate I05 without producing any motion of the plate I05 toward the left. Therefore. the wire W must remain clamped to the slide 6| during the time the slide is moving from the position shown in Fig. 9 to that position in which the lug 81 (Fig. 5) will engage the left hand pair of nuts 8|. Then motion of the wire W toward the left must stop. Overtravel of the rack 60 toward the left will cause the wire to be unclamped from the slide as shown in Fig. 11.

While the wire W is being unclamped from the slide 6| (Fig. 11), the wire is at the same time being clamped to a stationary part of the machine. This is accomplished during movement of the arm 65 toward the left relative to the frame I5 while the latter remains stationary. At the time the lug 81 of the bracket 88 attached to the slide BI (Fig. 5), begins to engage the left hand pair of nuts til, the arm 65 begins to engage a. left hand portion of nuts I20 adjustably secured to a rod 88, the right end of which is supported by a bearing bushing I I2 of the plate and the left end of which is threadedlyattached to an arm H3 and is secured thereto in the desired position of adjustment by a nut II4. Arm H3 is attached by screw II5 to a cam bar IIS having a lowland II! and a highland II8, joined by an inclined cam II 9. These surfaces engage a roller I20 trunnioned on a pin I2I carried by a slide I22 for moving a clamping plate I23 toward a fixed clamping plate I24 attached to a block I25 attached to a plate 44 (Fig. 8). While the lowland III engages the roller I20, springs I26 in sockets I2'I of block I25 move the plate I23 away from the plate I25 in order to release the wire W (Figs. 8 and 10). The cam bar H6 is backed up by a block I30, inturn backed up by a wedge I3I. The parts Il6-I22I23-I30-- I3I are supported between frames I32 and I33 which are attached to the block I25. The wedge I3I is resiliently held in contact with the block I30, and the block 30 with the cam bar H6. by a coiled spring I34 surrounding the stem I35 of the wedge I3I and retained in state of compression by a nut I36 threaded on the lower end of stem I35. Downward movement of wedge I3I is limited by engagement with frame I32 by a screw I4I carried by the head I3Ia of the wedge. When it is desired to release the wire from engagement by the plate I23, without endwise moving the cam bar IIB, the wedge I3I may be lifted by lifting a handle I40 (Fig. 5) pinned at I42 to wedge head I3Ia and having a fulcrum surface I40a which bears on the top, of frame I32. Guard I401: prevents downward movement of wedge I3I if the lever I40 should be inadvertently pushed downwardly.

.When the rack 60 has overtraveled the slide 6| toward the left (Fig. 11), the wire W is clamped between the fixed clamping plates I23 and I24 due to the fact that the high land II8 of the cam bar II6 has engaged the roller I20. At the same time the wire W is unclamped'from the slide 6I. Therefore, during movement of the slide GI toward the right the wire W will remain clamped to a fixed support while the feeding mechanism is retracted preparatory to feeding another length of wire. While the rack 60 is overtraveling the slide 6| toward the right, as shown in Fig. 9, the wire W is being clamped to the, slide 6i while being released from the clamping action of plates I23 and I24. This release takes effect because, during the overtravel of the rack 60 toward the right, as shown in Fig. 9, the arm 65 has engaged a right hand pair of nuts I50 on the rod 68 and has caused the cam bar II6 to move from the position shown in Fig. 11 to that shown in Fig. 9. Obviously, during movement of the rack 60 from left toward right, and before it begins to over-travel, the cam bar H8 remains in the position shown in Fig. llbecause the arm 65 cannot effect movement of the rod 68 until it strikes the right hand pair of nuts I50 thereon. The wire W remains clamped by the stationary plates I23, I24 until motion of slide 6! toward the right'ceases. The wire W is not gripped by the' slide 6| because, during motion of the slide H from left to right,

- there is no movement of the plate I25 from the position shown in Fig. 11 to that shown in Fig. 9,

' since the return of the arm 65 to mid or normal position merely causes the screw stud 69 to move from theleft end of slot H to the right end,

thereby taking up the lost motion between arm 65 and plate I without producing any movement of the latter toward the right. After movement of the slide 6| toward the right ceases, during overtravel of the rack 60 toward the right, the wire W is released by plates I23, I24 and is clamped to the slide 6| while the latter is statioiiary.

While the slide 6| is moving from right toward the left,the wire W remains clamped to the slide while it is unclamped at the stationary plates I23, I24. After movement of the slide 6i toward the left ceases, during overtravel of the rack 60 toward the left, the wire W is released from the slide 6i while the slide is stationary and the wire is clamped between the fixed plates I23 and I24 while the wire is still stationary.

It is apparent from the foregoing that there 1 cannot be any movement of the wire Wafter the slide 6| stops at the end of its movement toward the left. Likewise there can be no movement of the wire W while the slide Si is moving toward the right. During the period of overtravel of the rack toward the right, the slide 6| is stationary while the wire is being clamped thereon and while the wire is being released from the plates I23 and I24. There cannot be any movement of the wire toward the wire forming dies except when it is moved from the slide 6|. There cannot be any endwise movement of the wire relative to the dies while the slide feed is retracting.

Following the clamping of the wire at the plates I23 and I24 and during the retraction of Wire severing m:chanism The wire severing mechanism will now be described with reference to Figs. 12 and 19 and Fig. 1.

By means of a cam operated device operated by crank shaft 2i the machine causes the intermittent reciprocation of a rod I60 shown in Figs. 1, 12, 13 and 14. Rod I60 is secured to clevis I6I connected by pin I62 with toggle links I63 and I64 connected, respectively, by pins I65 and I66 with blocks I61 and I63, respectively. Blocks I61 and I68 are supported for vertical movement by a frame I10 which is pivotally mounted at its upper end upon a pivot stud I1I attached to a frame part I12 which appears in Fig. 1 near the arrow I2. The frame I10 is yieldably urged against the bracket I12 and a portion of the press frame 20 by flexible spring washers I13 and I14 (Fig. 12) which are maintained in a state of stress against plates I15 and I16, respectively, attached to frame I10. The washers I 13 and I14 are located around threaded studs I11 and I18, respectively, secured to frame 20 and cooperating with pairs of nuts I19 and I80, respectively, which are adjusted so as to stress the washers I13 and I14. By reference to Fig. 13 it will be seen that the studs I11 and I18 pass through arcuate slots I11a located in plates I16 and I18 respectively, and having centers of curvature at the center of the stud I1I. Studs 'I11 and I18 pass through extra large holes i111) and H81) in frame I10.

The block I61 (Fig. 14) is retained in the desired position of vertical adjustment by a set screw I8I locked by a nut I82, and also by a screw I83 passing throughan elongated slot I84 in block I61 and threaded into the frame I10. The block I68 is guided by ways I65 and I86 provided by frame I10. Block I68 supports an upper punch I90 having an X-shaped cutting surface as viewed in Fig. 17 for cooperating with a similarly X-shaped cutting surface provided at the upper end of a lower punch I9I. The punch I9I is mounted in frame I10 and may be adjusted vertically by turning a screw I95. A frame I92 is horizontally adjustably supported upon frame I10 by screws I93 passing through slots I94 in frame I92 and threaded into frame I10. The frame I92 supports a pair of vertically disposed rollers I96 between which the wire W passes. The frame I10 supports a pressure pad 200 having a groove for receiving the wire I00 and having a stem 20I extending through the frame I10 and having its lower end engaged by compression spring 202 which urges the pad 200 upwardly until a cross pin 203 passing through the stem 20I engages an under surface of the frame I10.

When the rod I60 is moved toward the left into the position shown in Fig. 14, the punch I90 will be lifted above the punch ISI as shown in Fig. 15. When the rod I60 is moved toward the right in Fig. 14 the punch I90 will be moved downwardly into the position shown in Fig. 16 in order to sever the wire W and to provide the severed end portions of the wire with pointedthe dot-dash rectangles.

aaiaecs use to shear the wire W. the wire W moves downwardly carrying the pad Edd with it. After the wire is severed in the manner described, punch moves upwardly and the pad 2% also moves upwardly to elevate the severed right hand end of the wire W (Fig. 16) above the lower punch lsl. This is necessary in order that, during the next feeding movement of the wire W toward the left, the left end of the wire W will not strike the punch lili.

During the severing of the wire W by the punches led and ldl, the wire is being clamped by the members l23 and l2l which are represented diagrammatically in Figs. and 16 by Attention isdirected to the fact that the cutting edges of the starshaped punch ends slope at 45 away from a horizontal plane. Therefore during the punching operation the material of the wire W willbe caused to flow in either direction laterally of the punches; therefore that portion of the wire located between the punches and the clamping members Hi3 and lid tends to increase in length during the severing operation. If the distance between the clamping members l23 and l2@ and the punches remained fixed during the wire severing operation, the wire would buckle. To prevent buckling of the wire we have provided for movement of the punches liifi and till automatically away from the clamping members 528, ltd. By comparing Fig. 15 with Fig. 16 it willbe seen that, when the punches led and ldi are in position for severing the wire W as shown in Fig. 16, they will be further away from the clamping members 623. 52.6 than when the punches IQB-ldl are separated as shown in Fig. 15. The movement of the punches in this manner is provided by supporting the punch operating mechanism on the swinging frame tilt and by providing the head of the pin its with an elongation Etta for engaging an inclined cam did of a plate 2 attached to a frame ens by screws 2i to passing through elongated holes 2i lb in bracket 2i2 and threaded into plate 2i 1, thus providing vertical adjustment. Frame M2 is horizontally adjustably secured to a plate M5 by screws 2ft passing through elongated holes 2% in frame 252 and threaded into plate 2th. Plate did is supported by machine frame it.

It will be seen that, while downward movement of the toggle pin ltd is causing downward movement of the punch lei, the head lets. of the pin will move along plate 2H and that, by the time the punch I99 has forced the wire W against the punch lei and the severing action begins to take place, the pin head its will have engaged the cam no. Therefore, while the material of the wire W is being displaced to sever the wire, the frame ill], carrying all of the punch operatingmechanism and the punches, is moved toward the left as viewed in Figs. 13 and 15 so that the punches finally arrive at theposition shown in Fig. 16. Therefore, the severing of the wire is accomplished without buckling the wire. Altho the wire bends between the punches and the clamping devices E23 and lid as shown in Fig. 16, when the upper punch ls retracted the wire will spring back into a horizontal position. As the punch use is elevated, the frame till swings to the right in Fig. 13 due to the action of a spring 2213 attached to a stud 22! on the bottom of the frame lit, and to a stud 222 attached tothe machine frame 29. This movement of the frame lid is limited by the stop bracket 223 fixed to a stationary part 223 and engaged by the head of a screw 22E threaded through a bar 2% attached to frame I10 and locked in the desired position of horizontal adjustment by nut 22?.

' Supply of wire to the hairpin forming machine The flat wire or bar stock is wound upon a supply reel 236 (Figs. 1 and 20). The reel 230 has a hollow core through which may be passed a shaft 238 upon the ends of which ball bearings 232 are placed. The shaft with its bearings is supported by brackets 233 carried by a portable frame comprising triangularly shaped end members 23 i braced by cross bars 235 and including the vertical bars 238 which also support the brackets 233 and which provide a support for a tie bar 2537 serving as a means by which the frame'may be lifted. The triangular parts 23! rest upon trunnion bloclm 238 supported on trunnions 235 which engage track rails 240. The weight of the reel and its supporting frame aside from the weight of the wire W wound thereon is sufficient, while the wire is being unwound, to maintain the reel 2% in a. stationary position with the trunnions upon the track rails 260.

The wire is unwound from the reel 239 by geared feed rolls driven by the punch press crank shaft 25. Referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen. that the shaft 2! drives a. chain 250 passing around a sprocket 25! which drives a shaft 252 coupled at 253 (Figs. 1 and 2) with a shaft 256 (Figs. 2 and 25). Shaft 254 is Journalled in bearings 255 and 256 mounted, respectively, in plates 25? and 258 supported, respectively, on pedestal 259 and plate 260. The plate 260 is supported by a frame 28!. Endwise movement of the shaft 255 is prevented by securing to the shaft two collars 262 and 263 by pins 26d and 265, respectively. Between the collars and the adjacent frame are located thrust washers 288 and 267.

Intermediate the bearings 255 and 256 theshaft 2% is pinned at 210 to a tube 21! over which slides a sleeve 272 having flanges 213 defining a groove 2H for receiving rollers 215 mounted on pins 2'76 carried by the bifurcations Ell of a lever 2E8 fixed to a shaft 219 which is Journalled in. the back wall 286 which is fixed to the end walls or plates 251 and 258. The lever 218 is moved by electrical means to be described later. When it is in the position shown in Fig. 25 the sleeve 212 has cammed apart two set screws 28f and carried by Len crank levers 282 and located in the desired position of ad- Justment by lock nuts 233. The levers 282 have in Fig. 25, clutch plate 288 will be comiected with shaft 2%. Clutch plate 238 provides a gear 29!] meshing with a gear 29! pinned at 292 to a counter shaft 293 Journalled in bearings 29d and 295 mounted respectively in plates 251 and 25B.

the lever 218 is moved counter-clockwise the clutch plate 28? will be released from driving engagement with the clutch plate 288 through the action of springs 2&9; and clutch plate 281a will be caused to engage the clutch plate 288a through a mechanism identical with that described with respect to clutch-plate 281. The parts associated with clutch plates 281a and 288a are marked with the same reference numerals as the corresponding parts associated with clutch plates 28! and 288, but with the afilx a. Clutch plate 288a provides -a gear 290a meshing with a gear 2am pinned at 292a to shaft 293. The gear ratio between gears 290 and 29! is slightly greater than 1:1, and the gear ratio between gears 290a and 2am is slightly less than 1:1. The speed of shaft 253 is such that the wire W will be unwound from the reel 23!! at the correct average linear speed for consumption by the hairpin forming machine. For example, gears 230-29! provide a drive 2% in excess of average, and gears flow-29m provide a drive 2% less than average. In order to allow for slight variations in the operation of the unwinding of the wire relative to the consumption of the wire, we have provided for automatically increasing the linear speed of the wire as it is unwound when unwinding tends to lag behind the rate of consumption by the forming press, and for automatically decreasing the linear unwinding speed when the unwinding of wire proceeds at a rate faster than the rate of consumption of the wire by the forming press. When the speed of unwinding wire fromthe supply reel starts to lag behind the rate of consumption, then the gears 290 and 23! are automatically connected by means-to be described later; and, when the rate of unwinding of wire from the reel tends to be faster than the rate of consumption, then the gears 230a and 2m are connected, the other set of gears being disconnected. In this way the shaft 293 is driven at a speed which will vary within certain narrow limits, depending on whether the wire is being unwound from the supply reel too slow or too fast a rate as compared with the rate of consumption by the hairpin forming press.

The shaft 293 has an extension 293a within gear box 30!! (supported by plate 263) and carrying a bevel gear 30! pinned to part 2330 by pin 302 .and meshing with a bevel gear 303 driving a cross shaftilil (Fig. 24) which is Journalled in bearings 305 and 306 provided by frame 30! integral with a base 301a, whichis integral with the gear box 300. Shaft 304 drive a lower feed roller 308 and a gear 309 meshing with a gear 3!!) for driving a shaft 3!! which drives an upper feed roller 3l2. Shaft 3!! is joumalled in bearing blocks 3 l3 slidable between ways 3M provided by frame 301. These way portions support top bars 3!5 screwed to the upper end of the ways 3. Through the bars 3!5 there extend rods 3I5 which are pinned to hearing blocks 3'!3. The upper roller 3!2 is forced into engagement with the wire W and to force the latter into engagement with the lower feed roller 308, by the force of gravity acting upon shaft 3!! and all of the parts upported by this shaft.

As shown in Fi 20 there are three pairs of gear feed wheels, namely the wheels 308 and 3!! which have been described with reference to Fig.

.24, and also two other pairs of these wheels which are mounted on shafts 3|!a and 30411 geared together by gears 3l0a and 309a. The gears 309a are geared together by an idler pinion M3. The gear 303 and the gear 309a nearest thereto are geared together by an idler pin 320;

therefore the shaft 334 drives the shaft 304a and the shafts 3!: and the feed rollers driven by these shafts. Shafts 334a and 3! la are s pported by frame plates 3!! attached to frame 301.

When it is desired to release the wire W from engagement with the feed rollers 3.!2 the bearing blocks 3!3 and 3i3a are elevated by a mechanism comprising cam plates 32! attached by pins 322 to the rods 3% and connected by cross pins 323 with a link 323 provided with a handle 325. When the link 32i are vertical or inclined toward the right as viewed in Fig. 20, the lower ends of the bar 32! will clear the top of plates 3l5, thereby releasing the mass supported by the shafts 3!! and 3! la in order to urge the rollers 3!2 downwardly. When the handle 325 is moved toward the left in Fig. 20, all of the cam plate 32! rotate counter-clockwise to cause their camming surfaces 32!a each to engage the top of a bar 3 l5 and to cause the pivot pins 322 to be elevated above the bars 3! 5, thereby moving the shaft bearing blocks 3 3 upwardly against the action of gravity.

After the wire passes the power-driven feed rollers, it passes around a wire tensioning guide wheel 33!) (Figs. 2 and 21) which is supported by the upper end of a lever 33! comprising two channel bars spaced in parallelism by ties 33 a. Lever 33! is attached at its lower end to a tubular hub 332 journalled on a shaft 333 supported by brackets 333 (Fig. 22). In order that the wire may be kept taut, the arm 33! is urged counter-clockwise (Fig. 21), by springs 340 each attached at its lower end t a stud 33! attached to an arm 342 welded to h b 332 and each attached at its upper end to a stud 333 supported by the upper end of a bracket 3 attached at its lower end by screw 345 to a base 346. It will be seen that the springs 333 urge the arm 33! counter-clockwise and resist clockwise movement thereof as viewed in Fig. 21. These springs therefore tend to maintain a certain amount of pressure by the wheel 33!! upon the wire, tending to keep the wire taut. As the wire is somewhat stifi, it is not intended that the pressure shall be so great as to pull the wire perfectly straight. The wire may have some slight bends in it as shown in Fig. 2 and these bends 1 will be eliminated by the rollers and 43 of the wire straightening device shown in. Fig. 20. However, it is not desirable that there be too much slack or too little slack in the wire between the wire unreeling feed rolls and the wire straightening rolls. Therefore we provide for a control of the gearing between shafts 254 and 293 in accordance with movements of the arm 33! in either direction beyond certain tolerable limits. For this purpose we provide an electric switch 360 which is controlled by a rocking arm 35!) (Figs. 21 and 23) having a hub 35! pivoted on a stud 352 fixed to a. plate 353. Arm 350 carries a stud 354 to which the lower end of a spring 355 is attached. This spring is attached at its upper end to a stud 356 fixed to the arm 33! near its upper end. When the arm 33! i in a mid-position shown in Fig. 21, the arm 33!, the spring 355 and the switch operating arm 350 will be in alignment. A slight movement of the arm 33! in either direction will cause the center line of action of the spring 355 to shift to either side of the pivot point of the arm 35!], thereby causing the arm 35!! to move in one direction or the other abruptly against one or the other of two stop screws 331 I threaded through lugs 358 provided by the plate a 353, which plate is attached to the base plate 345.

vided with an operating shaft 36! connected with an operating lever 362 having a stud 303 received position of piston 423, the mechanism (rod 424;

bell crank 425, link 420 and arm 42'!) which conby the bifurcated lower end 364 of the lever 350.

Through the use of electrical means to be described, the closing of either of two circuits through the switch 360 causes a movement of the lever 218 (Fig. 25) in one direction or the other depending on which of the two circuits is closed.

If an abnormal condition should arise whereby the rate of consumption by the press greatly exceeds that of the rate of unreeling said wire from the reel, then the arm 330 would move clockwise as viewed'in Fig. 21 much further than that required to eifect a change of gearing of the feed rolls by the switch 360. If such abnormal condition should exist, it is desirable that the hairpin forming machine be stopped automatically. This is accomplished by the opening of a switch 380 having an operating member 38! located in the path of movement of the screw 382 adiustably supported by an arm 383 welded to the hub 332 which carries the lever 33!. The screw 382 is secured in the desired position of adjustment relative to the arm 383 by lock nut 384, Movement of the lever 33! clockwise is limited by the -striking of a stop lug 385 against the base 346.

Similarly if the rate of feed of wire from the supply reel 330 greatly exceeds the rate of consumption by the hairpinforming press, due to failure of its feed mechanism for example, then the slack in the wire would become excessive. Under such abnormal circumstances the operation of the forming press should be discontinued. When the slack in the wire becomes excessive there will be abnormal movement of the arm 33| counter-clockwise (Fig. 21) under the influence of springs 340. This counter-clockwise movement will continue until an arm 390 also welded to the hub 332 strikes the base 346. Just before this occurs, a lug 39| welded to the arm 390 will strike the roller 392 01 a limit switch 395 and cause rotation of its operating shaft 390 to open a circuit for the purpose of stopping operation of the hairpin forming press, as will be explained in connection with Fig. 26. Switch 395 is mounted on a plate 393 attached to the base 346.

I System of control In Fig. 26, the hairpin forming press is represented by rectangle 400. The hairpins H are discharged yokes downward; and they descend upon a chute and are then conveyed by a chain conveyor 402 carrying pegs 403 which pick up the hairpins by their yokes and drop them, legs down upon a chute 404 associated with the magazine of a machine for assembling the hairpins with an armature core. One such machine is shown in the copending application of Poole and Fausset, Serial No. 366,456, filed Nov. 20, 1940.

The chute 404 has a window 405 through which shine the rays 406 directed by a reflector 408 from a lamp 401. upon a photo-electric cell 409 in circuit with a relay magnet coil 4l0 having an armature -4 urged counter-clockwise by a spring M2 so that a contact M3 on the armature 4| I normally engages a contact M4 in order, normally, to connect a solenoid coil 5 with linewires tit and All connected with a current source by a switch M8.

. When no light shines upon cell 409, coil M5 is energized to cause armature 420 to be attracted toward it to cause a valve 62! to be conditioned for connecting a source of fluid pressure with the upper end of pressure cylinder 422 to cause piston 423 to move to down position as shown. In this trols the press clutch 23 will be in status for causing the power drive (shaft 22:: in Fig. 26 or flywheel 22 in Fig. 1) to be disconnected from the press crank shaft.

When light from lamp 401 shines upon cell 403, relay coil 0 i energized to cause separation of contacts "3 and 4 l4 and engagement of contacts 430 and 43! to cause solenoid 4|! to be inactive and solenoid 432 to be active whereby the armature will be attracted toward it to condition valve 42| for admission of fluid pressure into the lower end of cylinder 422 and the venting of the upper end. Then the piston 423 will move upwardly and the clutch 23 will be caused to connect power shaft 22:: with the press crank shaft.

It is apparent that the press will cease operating whenever light fails to fl'line upon cell 400. If window 405 of chute 404 is blocked by the legs of accumulated hairpins the press will stop. If the lamp 401 .does not burn, the press will stop. Lamp 401 may be turned off manually by opening snap switch 435 or line switch 8, or automatically by the opening of switch 380 or of switch 305 in case of abnormal movement of wheel 240, or automatically by the separation of contacts of a switch 440 effected by the buckling of the wire W between the straightening rolls 49, 50 and the wire feeding device of the press. 3

The lamp 401 is across lines 4|6-4ll and in se ries with snap switch 435, contacts 40 l403 or relay 460, and contacts 48I-482 of start switch 480. Magnet coil 405 of relay 460 is across line 4 I 64'| 1 and in series with contacts 48|482 of a start switch 480, contacts 41l4'|2-4'|3 of a stop switch 410, contacts 44i-442443 of wire-buck ling-responsive switch 440, contact 291400 of switch 305 and contacts 381488 of switch 280. By closing switch 480, coil 465 of relay 460 is energized to cause contacts "I and 462 to engage contacts 463 and 464, thereby causing lamp 401 to burn and the circuit of coil 465 to be established independently of start switch 480. Pressure on button 483 of switch 400 may then be released to allow this switch to open by spring 444. Relay coil 455 remains energized so long as switches 410, 440, 395 and 380 are all closed. If any one of these switches are opened, the relay coil 465 will be deenergized, the contacts I and 462 will separate from the contacts 403 and 404, the lamp 401 will cease to burn and the press 400 will stop. The press 400 may be stopped manually by pressing upon the stop switch 410 or automatically in response to abnormal movement of wire tensioning arm 331, or by buckling of the wire between the straightening rolls and the press feed device. The buckling of the wire W will cause an eyelet 444 (thru which wire W passes) balanced between springs 440 to raise or lower a rod 440 to cause a block to raise contact arm la 01' to lower contact arm 443a, and then to open switch 440.

The arm 218 for shifting the clutch controlling sleeve 212 is moved by either of two solenoids 500 and EM having armatures 500a and 00m. respectively, having .pushers 5001) and re-' spectively, for engaging the upper end of arm 218. Solenoids 500 and 50! are controlled, respectively, by relays 502 and 503, respectively, having pairs of contacts 002 and 503, respectively, which, when closed, will establish the solenoid circuit. The magnet coils 500a and 50Ic of solenoids 000 and 5M, respectively, are connected in series with switches 000d and Id, respec- 

